Woman Escapes Overnight House Fire

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KENTWOOD, Mich.– A woman was able to escape as flames devoured her Kentwood home early Friday morning.

According to Kentwood Fire Chief Brent Looman, firefighters got a call that the home, located at 4496 Northbury Court, was on fire around 1:30 a.m. Chief Looman said his crews could see flames shooting from the roof before heading into the neighborhood. The subdivision is located off 44th Street SE near Broadmoor Avenue SE.

Firefighters say the homeowner was already out of the house and with a neighbor by the time they got on scene. We’re told the woman’s college-age daughter eventually picked her up as firefighters worked on the flames.

With the help of both the Grand Rapids and Cutlerville Fire Departments, crews were able to get the fire out within 15 minutes. The fire burned the roof and caused the second floor to partially collapse onto the main floor.

“What we’re looking at right now is a fire on the second floor, somewhere between there and the attic area,” said Chief Looman. “With the amount of damage we have, it’s going to a take a little bit of time to get the investigation underway.”

The fire chief is unsure whether smoke detectors were in the home. The investigation will continue into an actual cause.